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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. stem — to come from
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. mate — a friend
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bear — the animal
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. cap — a lid
  14. drill — a practice
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mate — to breed
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. cap — a hat
  20. drill — army training
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. drill — the tool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com